Obstetrical instrument



Jan. 7, 1941. J 9, PRICE 2,227,673

OBSTETRICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l va-.1 HGT-2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

JOEL 5 PQ/CE Jan. 7, 1941. J. 5. PRICE 2,227,673

OBSTETRICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 12. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOEZ: 6. 1 2/05 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in obstetrical instruments ortools for aiding in the removal of the fetus from the womb.

The chief disadvantage of tools of this class presently in use is the danger of injuring or marking the fetus during the process of birth.

It is the chief object of my invention, therefore, to provide an instrument of this class which may be securely and easily attached to the presenting part of the fetus, and may thereafter be used by the doctor to change the position of the fetus in the womb if desirable, to deliver the fetus from the womb in case the patient is completely under the influence of anesthetic, and to aid in delivering the fetus in case the patient is only partially under the influence of anesthetic, all without danger of injury either to the fetus or to the mother.

Other objects of the invention are: to provide a device of this class which will enable the doctor to reduce the actual time consumed in the delivery of the fetus, and hence the time during which the method is subjected to extreme pain; which distends the womb a minimum amount both during application and delivery; which may be easily removed from the presenting part after application but before that part has actually emerged, in case of necessity; which utilizes the vacuum principle in gripping the naturally lubricated presenting part, thus minimizing the possibility of disengagement therewith during the operation; and which will be emcient in accomplishing the results it is intended to accomplish.

The details in the construction of one preferred form of my invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be better understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are chosen for illustrative purposes only, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the approximate center of the complete instrument;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of that portion of the F instrument which will hereinafter be called, as a whole, the vacuum cap;

Fig. 3 is an auxiliary tool which is not actually an essential part of the invention, but which may be used in connection with the in- 50 Vention, if desired;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of beginning application of the instrument over the presenting part, which in this case is the head of the fetus;

55 Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.4 but illustrates tion for use on the presenting part of the fetus.

Like characters of reference represent like parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, the instrument comprises a substantially barrel shaped envelope II], the cross sectional area of which is greater at a'point substantially midway between its open ends than at any other point throughout its length. This envelope is made of resilient sheet material, preferably live rubber, but I do not wish to be limited as to material, since some other composition material may be found to be satisfactory. One open end II of this envelope I0 is of considerably larger area than the opposite end. The two openings are surrounded by exterior beads I 2 and I3 respectively, which beads are, of course, integral with the sheet material of which the envelope is made. The bead I2 serves to aid in rolling up the edge of the envelope, as illustrated in Figure 4. The bead I3 serves to receive, surround, seal against, and resiliently hold in position within the smaller end of the envelope, a vacuum cap, which is designated as a whole by the numeral I4. This cap' I4 somewhat resembles an inverted saucer. Its top is substantially fiat, while immediately below the top surface it is restricted in size to form a substantially oval shaped seat for the bead I3. Immediately below this bead seat, the cap flares at an abrupt angle into a substantially oval shaped apron I5.

As an additional means of aiding the cap I4 to seal the smaller open end of the envelope III in an air tight manner, and to hold the cap firmly therein, I provide an interior inwardly and upwardly projecting flange I6 which is contiguous to the wall of the envelope adjacent the bead I3. This flange I6 is integral with or sealed against the wall of the envelope I0 in an air tight manner, and is also made of the same resilient material. The flange I6, together with the adjacent wall of theenvelope I0, define a space which is preferably slightly smaller in size but practically identical in shape to the apron I5; and the apron I5, when in position in the upper end of the envelope, as in Figure 1, is almost completely enclosed by the flange I6 and the envelope wall. This arrangement prevents the possibility that any part of the cap itself will come in actual contact with the presenting M part of the fetus. I have not specified the material of which the cap is made and do not wish to do so. It may be made of any material which is sufiiciently strong to prevent the collapse of its side walls during the application of an interior vacuum as great as approximately ten pounds.

The top of the cap I4 is provided with a pair of spaced upright members, I! and 18, joined together by a cross piece 19, which serves as a handle for the entire instrument. As will be seen in Figure 1, the upright I! is preferably somewhat longer than the upright I 8, and has a central bore throughout its length which affords communication with the interior of the cap, and thus makes possible the creation of a vacuum therein, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

The large end ll of the envelope is preferably provided with a plurality of string-like members 20, 2|, 22, and 23 which are secured to the bead H2 ,at spaced intervals in an suitable manner. While I consider that these members 20, 2|, 22, and 2:3 facilitate the application of the envelope over the presenting part of the fetus, I do not consider them essential to the invention, and wish to call attention to the fact that the instrument may be used satisfactorily Without them.

As to the auxiliary tool illustrated in Figure 3, it comprises a handle 24, and an integral arcuate body 25, the outer end of which is provided with a centrally positioned slot 26 which is in alignment and communicates with a longitudinally extending superficial groove 2'! in the outer surface of said body.

Operation In preparing the instrument for use it is only necessary to roll up the edge of the envelope on the bead l2 until the instrument is in the form illustrated in Figure 4. During the rolling of the edge the string-like elements 20, 2|, 22, and 23 are maintained in spaced relation and are rolled up inside the roll 28. The instrument is then placed over the accessible portion of the presenting part of the fetus, and the unrolling of the roll 23 over that part is begun. To facilitate the unrolling of this roll 28, the free ends of the string-like elements 20, 2|, 22, and 23 are all grasped in one hand, while a'finger of the other hand is placed between the unrolled portion of the wall .of the envelope and each of the string-like elements successively, and pressure is applied, While the string-like elements are maintained taut. Figure clearly illustrates this manner of unrolling the roll 28. The pressure is applied by the finger in the direction indicated by the arrow and this pressure, combined with a slight pull on the string-like element, results in the gradual unrolling of the roll 28.

The manner of using the previously described auxiliary tool is also shown in Figure 5. It is used in much the same manner as is the finger for unrolling the rolled edge of the envelope. As shown, its slotted end is inserted between each of "the string-like elements and the wall of the envelope, each element successively being inserted in the slot 25 and lying in the groove 21', and pressure is applied in the direction indicated by the arrow, thus successively and gradually unrolling those portions of the roll 28 which are adjacent each of the individual string-like ele- :ments.

If desired, the string-like elements may be completely eliminated, and the use of the auxiliary tool may also be dispensed with. In this case the unrolling is accomplished simply by placing the end of the finger against the roll 28 and applying pressure successively at various points around the roll.

When the roll 28 has been completely unrolled it will, of course, almost completely envelope the presenting part as shown in Figure 6. In case the presenting part is the head of the fetus, as illustrated, then the beaded edge l2 encircles the neck below the chin.

At this stage of the operation, a hose 29 from any suitable regulated vacuum producing equipment (not shown) is slipped over the end of the hollow upright H, and a vacuum is created between the inner surface of the envelope and the part of the fetus which it envelopes. This vacuum, of course, greatly increases the grasp of the envelope on the enveloped part. The doctor then grasps the handle l9 and is enabled to change the position of the fetus by turning it in either direction, and apply an outwardly moving force to the fetus as and when he feels it is necessary.

In case it becomes necessary to remove the instrument from the enveloped part before that part has actually emerged from the womb, the string-like elements 20, 2|, 22, and 23 may be used for the purpose, since their free ends extend outside the body of the mother at all times.

While I have described and illustrated only one specific embodiment of my invention, I wish it known that I contemplate other specific embodiments to facilitate the unrolling of the envelope over the presenting part of the fetus. My invention generally is a resilient envelope adapted to be applied to the presenting part of the fetus, and a handle for the envelope for imparting a desired movement to the fetus.

Iclaim:

1. An instrument for aiding in the delivery of the fetus from the womb during child birth comprising: a hollow thin walled envelope or hood open at one end only and adapted to be applied over and to grip the presenting part of the fetus; a handle facilitating the manual grasping of the envelope for imparting movement to the fetus; and a plurality of string-like elements integrally attached at spaced intervals around the edge of the open end of said envelope for aiding in its application to and removal from the presenting part of the fetus.

2. An instrument for aiding in the delivery of the fetus from the womb during child birth comprising: a hollow thin walled envelope or hood made of elastic or resilient material, open at one end only, and adapted to be appliedover and to resiliently grip the presenting part of the fetus; a handle at the closed end of said envelope facilitating the manual grasping thereof for imparting movement to the fetus; and a plurality of string-like elements integrally attached at spaced intervals around the edge of the open end of said envelope for aiding in its application to and removal from the presenting part of the fetus.

3. An instrument for aiding in the delivery of the fetus from the womb during child birth comprising: a hollow thin walled envelope or hood made of elastic or resilient material, open at one end only, and adapted. to be applied over and to resiliently conform to the shape of and grip the presenting part of the fetus; a handle at the closed end of said envelope adapted to facilitate the manual grasping thereof for imparting movement to the fetus; and a hollow tube affording communication with the interior of the closed end of said envelope for the purpose of creating a partial vacuum therein and thus increasing the grip of the envelope on that part of the fetus which it envelopes; and a plurality of string-like elements integrally attached at spaced intervals around the edge of the open end of said envelope for aiding in its application to and removal from the presenting part of the fetus.

4. An instrument for aiding in the delivery of the fetus from the womb during child birth comprising: a substantially barrel shaped open ended thin walled envelope or hood made of elastic material; a non-collapsible vacuum cap adapted to be secured within one open end of said envelope in an air tight manner; a handle secured to said vacuum cap; a hollow tube afiording communication with the interior of said vacuum cap and with the interior of said envelope for the purpose of creating a partial vacuum therein; and a plurality of string-like elements integrally attached at spaced intervals around the edge of the open end of said envelope for aiding in its application to and removal from the presenting part of the fetus.

JOEL S. PRICE. 

